A DRINK-DRIVER who failed to stop for police in Tranent was found hiding in a driveway after the officers began searching for him.

Jamie Welsh was driving his stepfather’s car in the town at about midnight when police spotted he did not have his headlights on.

The two constables motioned for Welsh to pull in but the driver continued on his way and soon disappeared from sight.

Later that evening, the officers spotted the silver Vauxhall Astra that Welsh had been seen driving parked on Coalgate Road.

And following a short search of the area, Welsh was subsequently spotted crouching down behind a car in a driveway.

He was told to stay where he was and the officers soon had the culprit in handcuffs and on his way to Dalkeith Police Station.

Welsh, 36, was then breath-tested and gave a reading of 73mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than three times the legal limit of 22mcg.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Welsh told officers he was “sorry” for what he had done and police attended at the home of the vehicle’s owner.

Welsh’s stepfather said he had not given him permission to take the vehicle and Welsh admitted to police that he “took it without his permission”.

The unemployed father-of-five appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to two charges.

Not guilty pleas to driving with no insurance or a full licence were accepted by the Crown.

Ms Martin, defending, said her client was a carer for his wife and two of his children and at the time of the offence he had been “in a bad state of mind”.

The lawyer added that Welsh had taken the car after drinking alcohol to visit his sister.

Ms Martin added that Welsh, of Magdalene Drive, Edinburgh, knew “he should not have done it”.

Sheriff Robert Fife told Welsh: “Your actions at the time of the offence, hiding behind a car, suggest there was never any defence.

“I am not going to give you any discount and you have previous convictions for road traffic offences and I note you have been disqualified on one previous occasion in 2008.”

Sheriff Fife banned Welsh from driving for 20 months and ordered him to pay a total fine of £650 over the two charges.

Welsh admitted taking and driving a vehicle away without consent at Ormiston Avenue, Tranent, on September 29 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to driving with 73mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, over the legal limit, at the same location on the same date.